Kamakura Tatami Room

Tatami Room

Kamakura Japanese Restaurant

Champaign, Illinois

The tatami room is part of the transformation of a former automobile dealership into a 130-seat capacity restaurant. Concentric spatial layers separate the tatami room from the larger dining area in order to create privacy without requiring doors. The layers are color-coded in earth tones to clarify and enrich the space. The result is an interpretation of traditional Japanese residential architecture

A challenge in developing this space was to provide accessibility for a wheelchair. This was accomplished by constructing a removable infill box. When the box is in place, tatami seating wraps fully around the central table. When the box is removed, an accessible opening is created at the end of the table.

The horizontal emphasis of translucent screens, continuous horizontal bands of millwork, carefully directed lighting and shadows, and the overall room proportions create a peaceful, meditative dining environment.